The present invention relates to a cargo device that carries a number of submunitions whereby the cargo device is preferably equipped with guidance and/or target seeking functions and may constitute a missile or a missile or equivalent, launchable from a ramp or other weapon platform in the form of, for example, an aircraft. The triggering or actuation of the submunitions carried shall then be determinable by a programming function on the ground or on board the weapon platform in question, such as an aircraft, or via a fixed or wireless communication link from the ground or on board said weapon platform. The submunitions shall, moreover, be actuatable either individually or jointly by means of or via an impact function, proximity fuze, remote triggering, or by another admittedly known triggering device.
The designing of missiles and other ammunition or cargo-bearing devices so that they are specially suited to combating targets or situations of a certain given type is previously known. This means that the ammunition or warhead designed for a specific type of target is often completely unsuitable for combating a different type of target, and vice versa Such dedicated ammunition units are already well known and exist in a multitude of designs, among other things because of the above mentioned target type dedication. This can be referenced in the patent literature in the field.
There is a general need to be able to reduce the assortment of weapon borne ammunition units without losing the desired effectiveness against each type of target or combat situation. The measures and ammunition units proposed must also satisfy the stringent requirements pertaining to handling, service and storage, and the matter must be characterised by singularity of purpose while safety during handling and operation must not be neglected. The objective of the present invention is to resolve this problem completely or partially.